Yes, the literature says that if you house them in warm surroundings, and feed often, that they will remain active year-round.

Nice theory...

I've seen from many specimens of both Kings & Rats that North American *adult* snakes tend to go off feed by late November, and don't feed again until late March or April.

Their natural instinct is to brumate. Oddly, both my Kings, male & female, go off feed in late November. Both are active at various times for months, sometimes for hours.

Feeding attempts are useless, however, until at least late winter or early spring. They simply are not *programmed* to be feeding during colder months. Their energy reserves suit them quite nicely, thank you.

*** In general, reptiles utilize energy about 10 times more efficiently than mammals. ***

Ameron
Portland, OR

1.0 Lampropeltis getula californiae (Carlsbad Wide-banded morph)
0.1 Lampropeltis getula californiae (Los Angeles County Coastal Banded morph)
1.0 Coelognathus radiata (captive-bred, Vietnam origin?)
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[ Hide Replies ]

• Longest your snake has gone off feed? - johnthebaptist, Fri Feb 18 11:36:47 2011
• RE: Longest your snake has gone off feed? - Bigtattoo, Fri Feb 18 11:49:24 2011
• RE: Longest your snake has gone off feed? - monklet, Fri Feb 18 12:55:11 2011
• RE: Longest your snake has gone off feed? - johnthebaptist, Fri Feb 18 14:19:24 2011
• Feeding strategies - monklet, Fri Feb 18 17:51:28 2011
• RE: Longest your snake has gone off feed? - varanid, Wed Feb 23 11:13:07 2011
• Rat Snakes are Temperate Creatuures - Ameron, Thu Mar 3 23:51:20 2011